Is Robert Geller Fashion's Toughest Designer?

New York-based fashion designer Robert Geller wants men to feel secure in his clothes—secure not only in the knowledge that they're expertly dressed, but also in a sense of physical well-being. "I want to make clothes that make someone feel like they can endure whatever the world throws at them," says the Hamburg-born designer. Fittingly, his fall/winter 2016 collection, which just showed at New York Fashion Week: Men's, was inspired by the idea of overcoming adversity.

A look from Geller's fall/winter 2016 collection. Photograph courtesy of Robert Geller

Inspired by a German fantasy novel called Momo—in which the title character defends her colorful home against "Men in Gray," a race of parasites who steal time from humans—Geller showed a series of monochromatic looks, ranging from black, to dusky purple, to mustard yellow, unveiled in order of darkest to lightest. A clever and optimistic take on the theme, the designer says it is one of his favorite collections yet.

A look from Geller's fall/winter 2016 collection. Photograph courtesy of Robert Geller

Upon arriving in New York City in 2001, Geller worked with Marc Jacobs, before collaborating with Russian-born designer Alexandre Plokhov on a brand called Cloak. He launched his own line in 2007, winning the coveted GQ/CFDA New Menswear Designer Award not long afterward, in 2009. Safe to say Geller certainly knows the ins and outs of menswear, and what it takes to be a well-dressed man. Here he picks the five essential items every guy needs to face the world—or time-freezing Men in Gray—in style.

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A Watch

"I grew up wearing G-Shock watches," says Geller, who styled them into his fall/winter 2016 collection. Today, he opts for the G-Steel, a grown-up version of his favorite classic.

A Blazer

This is made of a high-quality Japanese knit fabric and Geller says that "there isn't a jacket more comfortable." The classic shape makes it incredibly wearable as well—this is an investment piece to have for years.